Sheet feed for writing machines



Oct- 12, 1948. J. A. GILBERT ETAI- SHEET FEED FOR WRITNG MACHINES JOSEPHA. G/fer 0ct."12, 1948. JJA. GILBERT ET Al.

SHEET FEED yFOR WRITING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1945INVENTORS, JOSEPH A. 6/5527 PAUL A. Joli/food Oct 12, 1948. J. A.GILBERT ETAL 2,451,330

SHEET FEED FOR WRITING MACHINES l Filed Aug. 25, 1945 l s sheets-sheet sIN VEN T ORS JOSEPH A'. 6M 55er BY /QUL JOHNSON We 717mg;

Patented Oct. 12, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET FEED FORWRITING MACHINES' Joseph: A. Gilbert..A San Francisco, and Paul A.Johnson, Emeryville, Calif., assignors to Moore Business Forms, Inc.,Emeryville, Calif., a corporation 'of Delaware Application August23,1945, SerialiNo. 612,200

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in feeding mechanisms for use inconnection with various forms of Writing machines, suchas typewriters,tabulators andthelikc, and more particularly to feeding` devices of thistype especially adapted for starting orI initiating the feed of recordunits individ'ual-ly'one;atl a time, such as, record sheets, letterheadsor unitary assemblies of record and transfer sheets, from a supply packor stack of such units supportedi'n a supply magazine on or adjacent-tothe Writing machine.

It is a general object of the invention to provide for machinesv ofi-theclass mentioned, an improved feed starting or initiating mechanism forinitiating the feed of the record units one at a time from a supply packand avoiding the starting or moving of morethan one of the recordunitsata time from the supply pack, or otherwise dis-- turbing the otherrecord units ofthe supply pack.

Another and'more particular object of the invention is to provide formachines of the class mentioned, anY improved feedzinitiatingmecha-vnism-for the record units embodyinganimproved controlstep positionedadjacent to the forward end of the supply pack of the-record units,- andpositioned relatively to'the starting or initiating` feed member so as.to assure thelstarting of only one record unit at a time fromthe supplypack, and for delivering the units thusstartedsequentially one atv atimeintowriting position.- on the writing machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feedinitiating device`for machines of the class mentioned, anrimproved arrangement'of a rotaryfeed initiating roll or. member arranged to have aperipheralspeedsubstantially the same as the peripheral speed of the rotaryplaten, either by having the feed. initiating. rollsubstantially thesame in diameter as` that of the platen and driven at the. same rotaryspeed, or having it of a diierent diameter andA operatively gearedto theplaten so as. to travel. at the same peripheral speedas theplaten.

Still another object. of. the invention is to provide for. machines ofthe.classmentioned,anim proved supporting magazine forv the supplypackof. record units. constructed and` arranged for quickand easyinstallationon. dilerent types of Writing, machines Withoutstructural.V4 alteration or modification of the writing machine andarranged` for supporting. the record units-in an. advantageous positionfor being. fed orstarted one at a. time for delivery Iinto Writingposition in the Writing machine. Also, the supporting magazine is,4constructed and arranged for adjustment thereof toaccommodatedifferentlengths and widths of record units or forms.

A further objectof the inventionis -to provide an improved supportingmagazine and feedfstart in'gmechanis-mfor record' units, adapted for; in

stallation on different makes or different:v modelsfof Writing machinesWithout necessitating structural modication of either the machine or.the magazine@ and only requiring. different designs. of brackets orattachingv devices for attachment to the various forms of Writingmachines,

Other objects of the invention Willvbe in'part pointed out inthefollowing detailedv disclosure of ani illustrative but preferredembodiment?- ofthe invention', and Willbe in part'obvious as'thefdisclosure proceeds,

The invention accordingly comprises-the fea.- tures of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which Will beexemplied inxthe construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of theapplicationlof which will be indi@ cated inthe claims.r

For a more comprehensive, disclosure.: ofthenature, objects andadvantages of theinvention, reference is, had to the followingdetailedde.-v sc-riptionof theillustrative embodiment thereof and to theaccompanying draw-ings in which:

Fig. l is a partially diagrammatic, perspectivev sdeviewof a well-knowntype of Writing machine equipped with the invention;

Fig.- 2'is a partially diagrammatic, longitudinal' vertical. section ofthe platen carriage of the Writing machine shown in Fig. 1, parts beingshown in elevation;

Fig.. 3 is a fragmentary elevational-view of the feed starting mechanismshowing its voperative connection .with theY Writing platen of theWriting machine;

Fig. 4. is,Y an enlarged fragmentary perspective View showing rtheconstruction andattachment of the supporting mechanism. ofV the supplymagazine,- andshowing the improved controlling step structure forassuring the starting ofthel record units only one'at a time from thesupply pack;

Fig; 5 isl adetailsectional View of the .attachment ofthe supplymagazine;

Fig. 6 is a detail section and side elevation ofthe improvedcontrolling. step showing the auxiliary controlling roller;`

Fig. 'l is a fragmentary section and front elevation. showing thecontrolling step-and auxiliary controlling. roller; and

Fig. Slis a detail transverseV sectional view-showing the attachment ofthe adjustable rear supporting bracket. for the record units.

Referring to the drawing for a detailed description of the illustrativeembodiment of the invention there shown, it will be noted that theimproved feed initiating device is applied to a typewriter of knownconstruction having a body or frame I and being equipped with a rotaryplaten 2 rotatably mounted in a shiftable carriage I which is supportedin well-known manner for letter spacing movements transversely of thetypewriter frame I. The platen 2 is provided with a supporting shaft forspindle 3 provided with operating knobs 4 at opposite extremitieswhereby the platen can be manually rotated step by step for line spacingin the well-known manner. The typewriter may also be equipped with apaper table 5 and pressure rollers 6 mounted upon a supporting arm I andcontrolled by means of a manually operated control member 8, all as wellknown in the art. Type bars 9 are operated by known mechanism forinscribing the data upon the record forms or units supported against theplaten 2.

writing machine, it will be understood that it is especially adapted forapplication to different forms of writing machines of Yvarious differentmanufacturers, or to different types of machines made by the sa-memanufacturer. For supporting a supply pack I of record forms inVposition to be introduced into Writing position on the platen 2 of thewriting machine, a support or magazine I I is provided. This magazinehas a bottom providing a support for the supply pack Il). As shown, thisbottom includes opposite side plates I2 having opposed longitudinalupright guiding flanges I3 for guiding the edges of the record units,and also an intermediate supporting plate III. At their forward ends thebottom plates I2 and I4 are curved downwardly as indicated at I5 so asto present an upwardly convexed supporting surface causing the forwardends of the record units to assume also an upwardly or outwardlyconvexed position I0 at the forward ends of the units, It will beunderstood that the record units contained in the supply `pack I0 mayassume any Well-known form :of record material for receivinginscriptions such as record sheets with letterheads and the like, orrecord units embodying a plurality 'of record sheets and interleavedtransfer sheets arranged in transfer relation with the record sheets andbound together in units as disclosed, for example, in the Stevens Patent2,120,161. The purpose of arranging the record units with the upwardlyor outwardly conf vexed end portions is fully described below.

Transverse supporting rods or bars I6 extend transversely'of themagazine beneath the bottom plates I2 and III, being connected to thelatter in ,any desired manner as by means of attaching plates IIconnected in any desired manner to the bottom plates, as for example, bymeans of inposite ends by means of longitudinal connectingV members orplatesV I8 attached to the ends of the bars by screws as shown or in anyother* preferred manner. The undersides of these connecting members areformed with slots or Seats I9 K An attaching screw 3i connected tothesupport-l 4. for receiving the attaching device later described.

As best shown in Fig. 2 a longitudinally advjustable bracket orsupporting plate 2B is provided for supporting engagement with the rearend of the record supply pack I, having on its underside a guiding andsupporting rib 20' 'adjustable longitudinally in a, longitudinal slot 2|formed in the bottom plate I4 and held in adjusted position by means ofa thumb screw 22. The forward -or supporting part of this bracket 20 ispreferably inclined forwardly as shown so as to cause the record unitsof the supply pack I0 to be fanned or arranged in stepped relation asshown and may be bent or adjusted to different inclinations, Thisdisposition places the record units in advantageous position for feedingone at a time from the supply pack as later described. The longitudinaladjustment of the supporting plate 20 enables supply packs of differentlengths to be supported in operative position in the magazine.

Also, the magazine is adjustable for width so as to accommodate supplypacks of different widths. This is accomplished by supporting the sideand intermediate sections with end bottom plates I2 and I!! for lateraladjustment toward and away from each other along the transversesupporting rods I6. As above mentioned, the attaching plates or flangesI1 are formed with aper-` tures receiving the supporting rods so thatthe different sections of the magazine can be adjusted relatively toeach other to vary the width of the magazine and to vary the spacing ofthe guide flanges I3 in accordance with the width of the supply pack I.As shown in Fig. 2, these lsections of the supporting magazines areretained frictionally in adjusted position by means of the springfriction clamps 23, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 2. It willbe understood that the other bottom plates I2 are similarly equippedwith these spring friction clamps. Each clamp in the embodiment shownhas a leaf spring at- Y tached to the underside of the correspondingbottom plate and is deflected downwardly at its forward end and placedunder stress so that the curved forward end portion 24 thereof is urgedfrictionally against the underside of the supporting rod I6 with whichit conforms,

For supporting the improved feed Yinitiating device and supply magazinein position on a, writing machine, supporting brackets 25 are provided,as best shown in detail in Fig. 4. There will ordinarily be twosupporting brackets 25, one at each of the opposite sides of the feedinitiating mechanism. Each supporting bracket, as shown, is providedwith a plurality of attaching members or extensions 26 and 21 which maybe especially variantly formed and lproportioned in order that theimproved mechanism maybe attached to different types or models ofWriting machines, those shown being adapted for attachment to atypewriter such as shownin Fig. 1. Each attaching bracket 25 is formedat its rear with an attaching extension`28, to which is detachablyconnected bymeans of VVa screw or the like, a supporting member jorYplate v29Y preferably in the form an angle bar Vas shown in Fig. 5.and Yprovided with'supporting seatsv 3l) adjacentto its opposite ends for thereception insupporting relation of the transverse supporting bars I S.

ing Yangle plate 29 and a thumb nut 3I provide a clamping device forattaching'the supporting K members I8 and 29 in assembledY relation, asvshown in Fig. 5. It will be understood that the magazinemaybe readilyassembled and supportedlin operative' 'position merely by lowering thesupporti-ng rods I6 intoy supported position. in the seatsV 301 with thelongiutdinal. connecting plates' I8-positionedoutside of and insubstantially parallel contacting relationfwith the upright flangefofthe anglemember 23and the slot I9 in'engagement with the shank ofthethreaded attaching member 3|; When'the thumb screw 3lv is sety intotight position, the magazine will be firmly attached in operativeposition to the supporting bracket 25.` f

Also detachably connected to the supporting brackets 25 isla'transversely disposed supporting plate.32 arranged adjacent to theforwardly disposed curved ends of the bottomv plates I2 and I4 ofthemagazine and. providing a control step cooperating with theforwardendsofnthe record units in the supply pack for .assuring theseparation of the units one at a time from the pack and preventing morethan one unit to'be separated atany `one time.vv As shown, this controlstep forms a supporting surface r plate disposed at an angle to theoutwardly ccnvexed supporting surface of the bottom platesV I2 'and I4.Although this angle between these supporting surfaces may vary somewhat,depending upon conditions such as the quality of the ematerial in therecord units, it is shown as an obtuse angle whichiswelladapted for theaccomplishment of the desired separating function mentioned. Alsoattached to the underside of the control step @Zbymeans of a leaf spring33 is a friction eliminating and feed controlling roller 34 preferablyengaging in a slot or opening 35 in the control plate or step. By

means ofthis arrangement the control roller 34 can engage with the endsof the recordv units, being separated and fed forwardly so as to controlthe separation more eectively; also it engages with the feed initiatingroller i0 to eliminected to the extensionA 3l thereof which is dei'tachably connected by means of a coupling 38 to the adjacent end of theplaten` shaft as shown in Fig.. 3 while theleft `arm 3B may be connecteddirectly to the platenl shaft 3. At their upper ends theseeswingingrarms-3@ are connected by a connecting and supportingbar 33 sowas toprovide a swinging feeder frame for mounting the feed initiatinglrollerl 43 for swinging movement toward and away from the adjacentoutwardly eonvexed ends of the supply pack it, This feed initiatingroller'or member 43 is preferably faced around its periphery with rubberI or similar friction material for more'effective frictional cooperationin feeding relation with the record units. The roller is mounted forrotation with a rotary supporting shaft d2 driven in unisonwith'rotation of1 the platen 2 by means of sprockets yi3 mountedrespectively uponY the extension 3i Aof thel platen shaftV and-upon thesupporting shaft 42 and connected by a driving sprocket chain 44.,

Carried by the supporting bar 39 of the feeder frameY `is a.guiding'lmember or plate 45 adjacent to the feed initiating roll im and.adapted to engage with the record units as they are successivelyseparated from the supply packr to guide them .to the paper table andinto writng'position on the platen 2.

As above mentioned, the improved sheet 'feeding `device is adapted forinstallation and operationtupon various.; makes andmodels. of .Writingmachines. It is necessary .on1yfto"use #different forms of supportingbrackets. ZEfOratt-aChment ofthe improved feed initiating unit` todifferent models of writingmachines.- Supporting brackets 25 may beespecially designedfor-each=different model of lwriting, machinetowhich'fthe feeding mechanism `is to befsupplied, anda pair of 'suchsupportingbrackets may be suppliedwith-l each feed mechanism nadaptedIfor installati-ons on the customers particular formlof,writing-machine;V Onlythe lattaching members 26 and 21 need' to bemodified for different models of writing machines, the other parts kofthevsupporting brackets being standard for attachment theretoof thesupporting plates 29 andthe controlstep 32.

When the improved sheetffeeder constructed as `above described-,issupplied' .to awritingmachine asdisclosed fand Va packor assembly -IU ofrecord forms is loadedinto the magazine as par-f ticularly shown .,inFigs. 1 and 2, the forward ends `of thev record-.forms aredownturnedgand outwardly convexed -asshown with 4the adjacent ends oftheforms resting upon the control.A step or plate 32. It will benoted thatthe Aend of,y the supply packfadjacent its conveXed porti-on is receivedwithin the obtuse angle between thecontrol step 32 and the adjacentdownwardlycurved ends `l5 of the bottom vsupporti-ng plates I2 and llt,The adjacent ends of the record units may be somewhat fanned asv showninv Fig; 2 with the top-most. and eacnsucceeding record unit projectingvery slightly beyond the-underlying record units, or the rear supportingbracket '20 may be adjusted inv such. inclined position,- that all. ofthe forward ends of the record unitswilllie substantially in contactingrelation `with the control step 32.

When the supply .pack lll is Aloaded intolthe magazine and` adjustedthereinas described, the feeder unit or4 frame is swung-rearwardly onlthe swingingsupporting.arms 36of the feeder frame so that thefeedinitiatingroll or'wheelsengages at itsfriction peripheral.surface-4| with the out'- wardlly presented surface of the adjacentendsof the recordunits- As. shown in Fig.; 2, it is preferable that thefeed initiating roll engage with the outer record unit of the supplypack near to the extremity ofthe adjacentconvexed end portion thereof,Aand near to but slightly 4above the feed control step 32. WhenY thefeeder frame is in this position the guide plate or member will bedisposed adjacent to the paper table 5 of the writing machine. Thisguide can be adjusted byI bending it one way or anotherto bring. it intothe proper guiding relation with reference, tothe paper table ofdiierent models of typevvritingv machines. Itiwill be understood thatthe record units in the supply pack l0 may be ofy different forms, suchfor example, as single Arecord sheetsv or. letterheadaor assemblies oftwo Acontrok :step: Also;l as thestarting.movement of the top recordunit proceeds, its forward movement and separation from the supply packwill be aided by the adjacent control roller 34 engaging with theunderside of the record unit adjacent to the starting roll 40. Thiscontrol roller has a yielding engagement with the advancing record unitdue to its mounting by means of the leaf spring 33, the control rollerbeing freely rotatable in its bearings. As rotation of the platen andthe starting roll continues, the record unit being forwardly fed isdelivered to the paper table ybeneath the guiding member `l5 into thegrip of the platen 2 between said platen and the pressure rolls 6,whereupon the advancement of the record unit is continued into writingposition by the feeding action of the platen, and subsequent feeding ofthe record unit for line spacing is then continued in the usual mannerwhen the record unit has passed beyond the feed initiating roll 40. Alsowhen there are no record forms or supply pack in the magazine, or norecord unit is being separated from the pack, the roller 34 contactsdirectly with the starting roll 4I! in such a way as to prevent unduefriction or binding to the rotary movement of the starting roll. Asabove mentioned, it will be noted that the peripheral feeding speed ofthe initiating roll 40 is substantially the same as that of the platen2, this result being effected either by making the initiating roll thesame diameter as the platen 2 and driving it at the same speed, ormaking it of a different diameter from the platen roll and using a ratioof driving and driven sprockets y43V for driving it at such a rotativespeed that the peripheral speed will be substantially the same as thatof the platen.

Since certain changes may be made in thel above construction andrdierentembodiments of the invention could be made without departing from thescope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having thus been fully described, the following isclaimed: Y

l. In a device of the character described in combination, a writingplaten,Y a supply magazine having a supporting surface for receiving asupply of record units at one side-of said platen, feed initiating meansincluding a friction member positioned for engagement with the recordunits in said magazine and operatively connected for operation in unisonwith said platen for initiating feed of the record units one at a timefrom said magazine toward said platen, a control step positionedadjacent to the forward ends of the record units in said supply andhaving a supporting surface angularly dis-posed to the forward part ofthe magazine supporting surface and adjacent to said friction member soas to prevent the starting by said friction member of more than one ofsaid record units at a time, and a controlling roller positionedadjacent to said angularly disposed control step and'in adjacentcooperative relation with said feed initiating friction member incontrolling engagement withV the opposite sides cf the record units fromtheV sides 'thereof engaged by said friction member.

' 2. In a device of the character described in Y combination,a'supporting magazine for a supply of record units, Vsaid magazinehaving a plu-V rality. of normally spaced supporting members for saidArecord units, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse supportingbars for said supporting members, longitudinal connecting membersconnected to said supporting bars, spaced supporting brackets adaptedfor connection to a writing machine and having longitudinal supportingmembers respectively positioned in substantially parallel contactingrelation with said longitudinal connecting members, and detachableconnecting means for detachably connecting said longitudinal connectingmembers to said longitudinal supporting members of saidsupportinbrackets.

3. In a device of the character described in combination, a supportingmagazine for a supply of record units, said magazine having a pluralityof normally laterally spaced supporting members for said record units, aplurality of longitudinally spaced transverse supporting bars for saidsupporting members, longitudinal connecting members connected to saidsupporting bars, spaced supporting brackets adapted for connection to awriting machine and each having a plurality of seats for respectivelyreceiving and supporting said transverse supporting bars when saidlongitudinal connecting members are engaged respectively outside of saidsupporting brackets7 and detachable, securing means for removablyattaching said longitudinal connecting members to said supportingbrackets'.

4. In a device of the character described in combination, a supplymagazine for supportingy a supply of record units and having a curvedsupporting surface for supporting the forward end portions of the recordunits in outwardly conveXed position, feed initiating means including afriction member positioned for engagement withV the outwardly convexedend portions of the record units in said magazine, said friction memberbeing mounted for movements toward and away from said record units, acontrol step positioned adjacent to and forwardly of the forwardoutwardlyconvexed end portions of said record units and having asupporting surface positioned forwardly of said Voutwardly convex endportions of the record units in the supply magazine and being angularlydisposed to said curved part of the magazine supporting surface so as toprevent initiating movement by said friction member of more than one ofsaid record units at a time, and

a yieldably mounted controlling member positioned adjacent to saidangularly disposed control step and in adjacent cooperative relation`with said feed initiating member in yielding controlling engagementwith the opposite sides of said record units from the sides thereofengaged by said friction member.

5. In a device of the character described in combination, a supplymagazine for supporting a supply of record units and having a curvedsupporting surface for supporting the forward end portions of the recordunits in outwardly con- VeXed position, feed initiating means includinga friction member positioned for engagement with the outwardly convexedend portions of the record units in saidy magazine, a'control steppositioned adjacent to and forwardly of the forward outwardly conveXedend 'portions Yof said record units and having a supporting surfacepositioned forwardly` of said.` outwardly convexed end por-V tions ofthe record units inthe supply magazine and being angularly disposed tosaid curvedpart f l of the magazine supporting surface so as toprevent'initiating movement by said friction mem-V i 10 in adjacentcooperative relation with said feed UNITED STATES PATENTS initiatingfriction member in controlling engagement with the opposite sides' ofthe record units Nugeg Marg Novnge 1909 from the sides thereof engagedby said friction 1 104504 Holiday Jul, 21 1914 membe- 5 1203657scheelde; Nov 7 1916 p LSEIT' 1,718,467 Labarre June 25, 1929 1,247,071Bennett Nov. 20, 1917 REFERENCES CITED 2,227,643 Hageman Jan. 7, 1941The following references are of record in the 10 le of this patent:

